about
̸BIOGRAPHY
Jake Mehew is a composer, performer, producer, DJ and radio presenter, based in Leeds UK. Jake's work combines principles of free improvisation, with the technological considerations of the avant-garde.
Jake uses a combination of acoustic instruments, modular synthesisers and samplers to create rich, meditative soundscapes that envelope the audience within an immersive quadraphonic sound field. Having spent years studying the causation of flow, Jake endeavours to create the conditions for spontaneous and radical composition in his live work, seemingly conjuring whole universes of sound from a self-induced act of trance. This process imbues Jake's live music with a certain sense of danger, as if everything could go wrong at any given moment.
In establishing himself as a solo artist in 2020, Jake has completely re-established his performative practice. With support from Sage Gateshead, Jake has built a modular synthesiser, capable of generative improvisation, quadraphonic sound dispersion, and real-time sampling; all of these elements are arranged around his practice of keyboard free improvisation, using a Fender Rhodes to contextualise the choices of the computer.
On the 9th September 2022, Jake released his debut LP Sage with ATA Records. In August 2020, Jake was awarded an opportunity to take part in the Sage Gateshead Summer Artist Residency programme. During an intense week of hermit-life in his studio, Jake worked for 80 hours to write, arrange, engineer and produce this monumental 55 minute record which had no pre-conception prior to the residency. This record is full of solos, and features collaborations between notable Leeds based improvisers DJ NikNak, Joel Stedman and Joe Love of Ancient Infinity Orchestra, Chris Duffin of Virginia Wing / Beautiful Lunches, and Jay Taylor.
Jake has supported artists such as Suzanne Ciani, The Comet is Coming, Sunda Arc, Soccer 96, Arooj Aftab, Matthew Halsall, Mdou Moctar, Roy Ayers and Mabe Fratti. He has performed at Gilles Peterson's We Out Here Festival, exhibited work for the Leeds International Piano Festival 2021 and has submitted digital work which was broadcast as part of an international programme for Nils Frahm's Piano Day 2021. Jake has recently installed a performance for grand piano, modular synthesiser and quadraphonic speaker array at the International Festival of Ideas 2022 (Howard Assembly Rooms, Leeds, UK).
As someone who finds inspiration in technology and innovation, Jake has found opportunities to collaborate with musical brands such as Rhodes®, and Audio Technica. Jake was commissioned to showcase the new Rhodes® MK8 piano at Superbooth Berlin 2022, and demonstrate his unique approach to interfacing a Rhodes® through his modular system. Jake’s collaboration with Audio Technica involved manipulating field recordings captured with AT microphones, and creating an improvised performance with Henry Weekes at the Analogue Foundation Studios in Berlin. The collaboration with Audio Technica was in celebration of their 60th birthday. Jake has been awarded a residency with Britten Pears Arts, to workshop a new audio/visual performance, and is receiving mentorship from the Help Musicians Co-Pilot scheme to further develop the integration of technology within his performative pieces.
̸SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY
Sage / Jake Mehew (ATA027)
Ambient Modular Library Vol. 1 / Jake Mehew (MSRCA001)
Ambient Modular Library Vol. 2 (Feat. Lindenbaum Modular) / Jake Mehew (MSRCA002)
Constellations / Jake Mehew (MSRDI002)
More Than Soul / Space Dolphin (MSRDI001)
Jake Mehew is a composer, performer, producer, DJ and radio presenter, based in Leeds UK. Jake's work combines principles of free improvisation, with the technological considerations of the avant-garde.
Jake uses a combination of acoustic instruments, modular synthesisers and samplers to create rich, meditative soundscapes that envelope the audience within an immersive quadraphonic sound field. Having spent years studying the causation of flow, Jake endeavours to create the conditions for spontaneous and radical composition in his live work, seemingly conjuring whole universes of sound from a self-induced act of trance. This process imbues Jake's live music with a certain sense of danger, as if everything could go wrong at any given moment.
In establishing himself as a solo artist in 2020, Jake has completely re-established his performative practice. With support from Sage Gateshead, Jake has built a modular synthesiser, capable of generative improvisation, quadraphonic sound dispersion, and real-time sampling; all of these elements are arranged around his practice of keyboard free improvisation, using a Fender Rhodes to contextualise the choices of the computer.
On the 9th September 2022, Jake released his debut LP Sage with ATA Records. In August 2020, Jake was awarded an opportunity to take part in the Sage Gateshead Summer Artist Residency programme. During an intense week of hermit-life in his studio, Jake worked for 80 hours to write, arrange, engineer and produce this monumental 55 minute record which had no pre-conception prior to the residency. This record is full of solos, and features collaborations between notable Leeds based improvisers DJ NikNak, Joel Stedman and Joe Love of Ancient Infinity Orchestra, Chris Duffin of Virginia Wing / Beautiful Lunches, and Jay Taylor.
Jake has supported artists such as Suzanne Ciani, The Comet is Coming, Sunda Arc, Soccer 96, Arooj Aftab, Matthew Halsall, Mdou Moctar, Roy Ayers and Mabe Fratti. He has performed at Gilles Peterson's We Out Here Festival, exhibited work for the Leeds International Piano Festival 2021 and has submitted digital work which was broadcast as part of an international programme for Nils Frahm's Piano Day 2021. Jake has recently installed a performance for grand piano, modular synthesiser and quadraphonic speaker array at the International Festival of Ideas 2022 (Howard Assembly Rooms, Leeds, UK).
As someone who finds inspiration in technology and innovation, Jake has found opportunities to collaborate with musical brands such as Rhodes®, and Audio Technica. Jake was commissioned to showcase the new Rhodes® MK8 piano at Superbooth Berlin 2022, and demonstrate his unique approach to interfacing a Rhodes® through his modular system. Jake’s collaboration with Audio Technica involved manipulating field recordings captured with AT microphones, and creating an improvised performance with Henry Weekes at the Analogue Foundation Studios in Berlin. The collaboration with Audio Technica was in celebration of their 60th birthday. Jake has been awarded a residency with Britten Pears Arts, to workshop a new audio/visual performance, and is receiving mentorship from the Help Musicians Co-Pilot scheme to further develop the integration of technology within his performative pieces.
̸SELECTED DISCOGRAPHY
Sage / Jake Mehew (ATA027)
Ambient Modular Library Vol. 1 / Jake Mehew (MSRCA001)
Ambient Modular Library Vol. 2 (Feat. Lindenbaum Modular) / Jake Mehew (MSRCA002)
Constellations / Jake Mehew (MSRDI002)
More Than Soul / Space Dolphin (MSRDI001)
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